Steam
by PrettyBender
Summary: Katara is torn between two men- Avatar Aang and Fire Prince Zuko. Her mind says one, her heart the other. The choice is impossible. But when the master of all waterbending offers to teach Katara how to become more powerful, the Ocean Spirit gives the poor girl some nuggets of wisdom that helps her make the ultimate decision of the heart. Oneshot.


**A/N: Hi this is my first story/onshot and I hope you guys enjoy it! I don't own ATLA or anything for that matter, I do support Zutara and yes this is a Zutara story, Enjoy XD  
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* * *

Katara got up that morning and went straight to practicing her bending alongside Aang, the Avatar and her boyfriend.  
"Good morning sweetie," Aang smiled.  
"Good morning," Katara nodded. Aang tried to be affectionate, but of late Katara wouldn't respond to his affections. "Back and forth, push and pull," Katara said to herself then her eyes landed on Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation. He himself was practicing his own bending, firebending! Katara didn't know why she felt an odd attraction to him. She felt as a moth drawn to the flickering light of the flame. Though the others warned her to not to check out this interesting light, she felt as if she had to. Zuko was so hypnotizing.  
"Katara?" Aang asked, snapping her out of her fictional world.  
"Sorry Aang, I, um, got side tracked," Katara apologized.  
"So you wanna go for a ride?" Aang shrugged as he pulled out his glider.  
"Sure it'll be fun," But the tone in Katara's voice said otherwise.  
Aang grabbed her by the waist with a smirk etched across his face, "Hang on!"  
"Ack!" Katara let out a short lived scream as Aang and her took off. "Wow I love the view!"  
"Yeah, it's beautiful, but not as beautiful as you," Aang commented.  
"Thank you Aang," Katara blushed.  
"I pride myself on only speaking the truth," Aang snickered. "Hang on tight."  
"Yeah..." Katara nodded in a daze as her eyes landed contently on Zuko's charming face.  
Aang, whom was oblivious to her transactions, asked, "So you wanna fly into town and pick up some supplies?"  
"Sure," Katara nodded, "I'd love to go."  
"Awesome," Aang grinned and took them down for a smooth landing. When they landed Aang informed the rest the group where they were going. Katara and Aang then loaded up on Appa and flew off for the nearest village.

* * *

"You look for these items at a reasonable price, and I'll go look for blankets and sewing materials.," Katara told Aang as she passed him a grocery list and they parted ways. Katara let out a heavy sigh, something inside her told her that Aang _wasn't_ the _one_. She knew if Aang broke up with her right now and randomly started dating Toph, she wouldn't care. As Katara rummaged around, buying the things she needed, she saw a girl in a back ally waterbending! Katara approached her and said, "Hi, nice bending."  
"What?" The girl whipped around dropping her water in panic.  
"I'm Katara," Katara bowed, "You are?"  
"I'm Yang," The girl bowed back, "Can you bend?"  
"Yes," Katara grinned as she gently picked up the water Yang had dropped and preformed the water whip.  
Yang smirked and shifted the water away from Katara and slid it back in her bending bottle. "You left yourself open."  
"Wow, you have to teach me that!" Katara was mesmerized by her slick move.  
Yang passed her a card, "Tomorrow you can join me as I practice at The Great Waterfalls. I can teach you then but remember bright and early."  
"Oh wow! Okay," Katara nodded as Aang walked up.  
"Hey Katara, who were you talking to?" Aang asked puzzled.  
"What? She was just here a minute ago," Katara looked around but Yang had disappeared, "She's gone!"

* * *

"I swear she was here a second ago," Katara gaped.  
"Who?" Aang asked.  
"No one," Katara sighed, "Someone invited me to practice my bending at The Great Waterfalls, I'm gonna go."  
"Good for you, did you get everything you needed?" Aang asked.  
"Yes," Katara smiled, "Did you?"  
"Yup, ready to go?" Aang asked her.  
"Sure," Katara nodded and took one last glance at the ally.

* * *

_THE NEXT__ MORNING..._

Katara arose before anyone else and got ready for bending class. Before she left she bent down to kiss Aang on the forehead, but couldn't bring herself to do so. She then glanced over and looked at sleeping Zuko and a smile slid across her face.  
It was time for her to go so she departed. She walked all the way and by time she got there it looked about noon. She was exhausted, but what happened next no one could have expected! Katara's ankles and wrist were tied up in vines! Katara struggled to free herself but it was useless, the vines began to encase around her body. Unable to move, bend or even call for help, Katara felt powerless. She could feel the water flowing through the vines and in a desperate escape attempt she took her own chains, the vines, and used them against her attacker! In a flash of water, ice, and plants, and blood, sweat, and tears the fight was over, Katara was beaten. She was on her knees in submission but to her surprise she heard someone...clapping?  
"Good job, you could've done better, but you did good none the less," Yang clapped. Wait...her attacker was Yang?  
"What was that?!" Katara gasped.  
"Training, that's what you asked me to do, right? Train you," Yang explained.  
"I'm exhausted from my hike and you try to _kill_ me?!" Katara wheezed.  
"No, train you."  
"Okay then," Katara stood up and took an attack position.  
Yang shook her head, "Have some soup and tea."  
Katara hesitated but agreed and ate happily.  
"Now that were done, we practice _push_ and _pull_," Yang told her.  
"Push and pull huh?" Katara nodded.  
"Yes, let you and your water become one. Flow sweet and smoothly and even calming the roughest of things," Yang said as she held up a smooth stone.  
"I know push and pull, but how will it help me?" Katara asked.  
"Relax your mind Katara. Let your chi flow through you like a gentle stream. Become the water you bend. Water heals, replenishes, and calms the wildest of things. Look at the tall strong trees. They would be no where without water," Yang taught.  
"Okay," Katara nodded.  
"Ice, plants, blood, sweat and tears are all apart of water and can be used by a waterbender. With even a swift act water can kill and destroy. As a bender it's our duty to cherish, respect, and care for our element. We must never use it for evil!" Yang kept going, "Water is the symbol of life, Air is the symbol of peace, Earth is the symbol of prosperity, and Fire is the symbol of rebirth. We must all honor the elements."  
"Wow..." Katara grinned as her and Yang began more difficult bending.  
"The other elements can be harmful to water. Air pushes water in the direction it wishes. It can be a very controlling element. Earth dirties water, clouding it's vision and making it difficult to bend. Fire, though it can be dangerous, wants to be wild and free, but the calm touch of water can sooth the the savage beast, creating a almost new element, _steam_," Yang explained.  
"Oh," Katara bit her lip, "Can I ask you a question?"  
"Of course," Yang bowed and sat down and Katara came and sat by her.  
"I'm dating the Avatar. I don't really have true feeling for him, and I think I like Zuko. He's the Prince of the Fire Nation, but I don't know what to do, got any knowledge for this?" Katara sighed.  
Yang smirked. "You already know the answer to your question."  
"I...I do?" Katar scrunched her eyebrows.  
"Yes."  
"I...I love Zuko," Katara smiled.  
"Well I have to go, you better run along too," Yang smiled as her and Katara nibbled on some bread.  
Katara ate then gave Yang a hug then left. After a long walk Katara made it back to camp but it appeared nothing had changed sense she had left. Then it clicked with Katara. Yang was the ocean spirit! She was visited by the ocean spirit! Then Katara 'woke up'. "Ahh!" Katara sprang out of bed.  
"Good morning sweetie," Aang smiled.  
"Aang, you're twelve years old, aren't you a little young to give out pet names?" Katara asked.  
"Well I guess..." Aang shrugged, "I'm technically a hundred and twelve."  
"Aang I can't do this anymore," Katara cried, "I love you, but not as you wish!"  
"What are you talking about?" Aang asked.  
"I love you as a brother Aang," Katara whispered.  
"No! Why?" Aang pleaded.  
"My heart belongs to another," Katara whispered as her eyes landed on Zuko.  
"No!" Aang yelled as he flew off on his glider.  
"I'm sorry Aang," Katara whispered and a tear drizzled down her cheek. It was not because of a broken heart but because she broke one.  
Zuko, Sokka, and Toph were utterly shocked.

Over time Aang's heart began to heal, and Katara's love for Zuko grew bigger.  
"Hey Zuko can we talk?" Katara asked.  
"Sure. Did I do something wrong?" Zuko questioned as he began to walk along the shoreline with Katara.  
"No, anything but," Katara smiled.  
"So what do you want?" questioned Zuko.  
"I don't know how to say this..." Katara knew what she wanted to say needed action and this she gave. Katara leaned up and kissed Zuko on the cheek!  
Zuko knew exactly how she felt and he wrapped his arms around her waist, and he kissed her straight on the lips, and she kissed him back. In this sweet embrace on fire and water, life and rebirth, a new element was born, _steam._

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**A/N: I'm finished! I hope you guys liked it R&R! PrettyBender is out PEACE! **


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